Handbook of Information Security Management
(Publisher: CRC Press LLC)
Author(s): Hal Tipton and Micki Krause, Consulting Editors
ISBN: 0849399475
Publication Date: 01/01/98

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INTERNET, INTRANET, AND WORLD WIDE WEB SECURITY ARCHITECTURES

Implementing a secure server architecture, where appropriate, should also take into consideration the existing enterprise network security architecture and incorporate the secure server as part of this overall architecture. In order to discuss this level of integration, we will make an assumption that the secure Web server is to provide secure data dissemination for external (outside the enterprise) distribution and/or access. A discussion of such a network security architecture would not be complete without addressing the placement of the Web server in relation to the enterprise firewall (the firewall being the dividing line between the protected internal enterprise environment and the external “public” environment).

Setting the stage for this discussion calls for some identification of the requirements, so the following list outlines some sample requirements for this architectural discussion on integrating a secure HTTP server with an enterprise firewall.

  • Remote client is on public network accessing sensitive company data
  • Remote client is required to authenticate prior to receiving data
  • Remote client only accesses data via HTTP
  • Data is only updated periodically
  • Host site maintains firewall
  • Sensitive company data must be encrypted on public networks
  • Company support personnel can load HTTP server from inside the enterprise

Based on these high-level requirements, an architecture could be set up that would place a S-HTTP server external to the firewall, with one-way communications from inside the enterprise “to” the external server to perform routine administration, and periodic data updates. Remote users would access the S-HTTP server utilizing specified S-HTTP secure transaction modes, and be required to identify themselves to the server prior to being granted access to secure data residing on the server. Exhibit 6 depicts this architecture at a high level. This architecture would support a secure HTTP distribution of sensitive company data, but doesn’t provide absolute protection due to the placement of the S-HTTP server entirely external to the protected enterprise. There are some schools of thought that since this server is unprotected by the company-controlled firewall, the S-HTTP server itself is vulnerable, thus risking the very control mechanism itself and the data residing on it. The opposing view on this is that the risk to the overall enterprise is minimized, as only this server is placed at risk and its own protection is the S-HTTP process itself. This process has been a leading method to secure the data, without placing the rest of the enterprise at risk, by placing the S-HTTP server logically and physically outside the enterprise security firewall.

Exhibit 6. Externally Placed Server

A slightly different architecture has been advertised that would position the S-HTTP server inside the protected domain, as Exhibit 7 indicates. The philosophy behind this architecture is that the controls of the firewall (and inherent audits) are strong enough to control the authorized access to the S-HTTP server, and also thwart any attacks against the server itself. Additionally, the firewall can control external users so that they only have S-HTTP access via a logically dedicated path, and only to the designated S-HTTP server itself, without placing the rest of the internal enterprise at risk. This architecture relies on the absolute ability of the firewall and S-HTTP of always performing their designated security function as defined; otherwise, the enterprise has been opened for attack through the allowed path from external users to the internal S-HTTP server. Because these conditions are always required to be true and intact, the model with the server external to the firewall has been more readily accepted and implemented.

Exhibit 7. Internally Placed Server

Both of these architectures can offer a degree of data protection in a S-HTTP architecture when integrated with the existing enterprise firewall architecture. As an aid in determining which architectural approach is right for a given enterprise, a risk assessment can provide great input to the decision. This risk assessment may include decision points such as:

  • Available resources to maintain a high degree of firewall audit and S-HTTP server audit
  • Experience in firewall and server administration
  • Strength of their existing firewall architecture

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